Three Continent Cruise
- 9 Days
- From : Athens
- To : Athens
- Tour
- Guide : English
- Minimum age : 18 Years Old
* This product requests separate payment. Promotion code or coupon from Ticket Here is not applicable.
Join this 9-day cruise and discover three of the Seven Wonders of the World. Starting in the cradle of the human civilization, Athens where the visit of Acropolis and Acropolis museum is the must. In Egypt, we will discover the secrets of Alexandria and the first of our wonders, Pharos lighthouse. Holy Land will unveil us the biblical port Ashdod and in Cyprus, we will see the birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love and fertility. Colossus of Rhodes, colossal statue of the sun god Helios that stood in the ancient Greek city of Rhodes and was one of the Seven Wonders of the World will expose its beauty and the Temple of Artemis will displays its colossal greatness in the port of Kusadasi. This is truly epic voyage back in time through the sites of three of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which will leave all your senses filled by the eternal beauty of the ancient civilization.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Pharos Lighthouse: One of the most famous lighthouse in antiquity, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
Ashdod: one of the most revered cities in the world for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. Over the centuries, this port was numerously mentioned in Biblical History and it is home to religious architecture, emblems and archaeological relics, including the famous Wailing Wall
Colossus of Rhodes: the colossal statue of the sun god Helios that stood in the ancient Greek city of Rhodes, was one of the Seven Wonders of the World
The Temple of Artemis: magnificent temple built by Croesus, king of Lydia, about 550 bc. In western Turkey, one of the Seven Wonders of the World
What’s included?
TOUR GUIDE:
- Operated with English-speaking local guides in each city during sightseeing & excursions
- (The local guide will only accompany during the activity and not during the cruise)
ACCOMMODATION:
- 1 night hotel accommodation
- 7 nights‘ accommodation on the cruise
MEALS:
- 8 Breakfasts
- 6 Lunches (Days 3-8)
- 7 Dinners (Days 2-8)
TRANSPORT:
- Arrival transfer from Athens International airport or from Piraeus port to the hotel on a shared basis
- Departure transfer from the Athens port to Athens International airport or to Piraeus port on a shared basis
- Air-conditioned transportation throughout the program as per itinerary on a shared basis
- The Celestyal Crystal Cruise or similar (max. 1200 pax capacity)
ENTRANCE FEES AND ACTIVITIES:
- All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary: Athens sightseeing tour (entrances to Acropolis and Acropolis Museum; Day 2), Classical Cairo excursion (Day 4), Acropolis of Lindos (Day 7), Ephesus excursion (Day 8)
OTHER:
- Meet & Greet
- Unlimited drink package on board (house wine, beer, soft drinks, teas, coffees, cocktails and brands spirits). Premium wines, Champagnes, high-end spirits, fresh fruit juice and premium Greek ice cream are also available at additional supplement (payable on board).
- Port and Service charges
- Gratuities on board included
Exclusions
- Tips and gratuities
- Porterage at the hotels
- International or domestic flight tickets nor any airport taxes
- Travel insurance
- Visa
- Optional and suggested tours and activities
- Any items not mentioned in the inclusions section
- Touristic/Municipal Fee Tax to be paid locally at the hotel reception
- Expenditures of a personal nature, drinks and meals if not stated explicitly in the program
Please note
- Late check-out, early check-in, connecting or adjoining rooms at the hotel are all subject to availability and not guaranteed.
- No refunds for unused services. Splitting the package is not allowed.
- Please note that local conditions prevalent at the time of travel may result in modifications to the contents of the tour without prior notice, including possible changes of hotels and/or itinerary.
- Please note that the touristic/Municipal Fee Tax has to be paid locally at the hotel reception
- Day 1: The Cape Sounio optional excursion departs at approximately 2:00 pm. You will need to book a flight that arrives in Athens around 12 pm in order to have the time necessary to go to the hotel for check-in first and then board the excursion bus or you have the option to book a flight that arrives between 1 to 1:30 pm and we will arrange the transfer directly to the departure point of the tour.
- Day 4: At the National Archaeological Museum in Tahrir passengers go through 2 security checks before they enter. No cameras and videos allowed in the museum. The museum is not a/c but natural ventilation produces cooling breezes. Entering the hall of Mummies Visit inside a Pyramid allows only 15 people each time to be inside the Pyramid of Cheops, maximum 150 for the day on a first come basis. Not recommended for people suffering from claustrophobia or have back and/or knee problems. The corridor is dark and low and at most of the time visitors have to stoop or bend their knees while they walk. No cameras or videos allowed inside. No limitations to a visit in the other 2 Pyramids, their interiors are also empty and same conditions prevail as the first one.
- Day 9: Estimated arrival to Athens port is at 9:00 am and estimated checkout from the cruise is until 10:00 am, so please book the departing flight accordingly (or book additional night in Athens).
- Please note that the inbound airport Athens – City hotel transfers are included only as part of the package or if pre/post night stay is booked as an extra. Otherwise, additional transfers should be purchased separately.
What do I need to bring?
Comfortable and light clothing is the most suitable for travelling in Greece. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting temples, religious or official buildings. Sun protection, sun glasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.
Accommodation options
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
Day 1 Athens:
- Standard Hotel Category = Hotel Arion or similar 3*
- Superior Hotel Category = Hotel Fresh or similar 4*
Day 2 – 8 Cruise:
- Standard Category = IA or IB Outside Cabin
- Superior Category = XA or XB Outside Cabin
Cancellation policy
- Once ordered, this tour cannot be cancelled or refund or amended at any circumstances.
Day 1 : ARRIVAL ATHENS
Upon your arrival at Athens International airport or at Piraeus port, you will be met and greeted by our English-speaking tour assistant; who will guide you to your air-conditioned luxury shared transfer and will accompany you to your hotel in Athens. Athens has an array of amazing hotels, this package has the cream of the crop, and we know you will thoroughly enjoy your one night stay in Athens. Depending on your flight arrival, you can book an optional tour to Cape Sounio with the departure at 14:00 in the afternoon. For this tour you will be collected from your hotel at 13:30 and driven along the coastal road, passing the wonderful beaches of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza on the way to Cape Sounio. You will have splendid views of the Saronic Gulf and its islands en route. Upon arrival in Cape Sounio, visit the Temple of Poseidon, one of the major monuments from the Golden Age of Athens. After this impressive temple site, there will be time to explore the rocky cape of Sounio before being transferred back to your hotel at around 19:00. If you prefer to enjoy a typical Greek night in Plaka with live Greek music and dances, we recommend you to book the optional Night out in Athens. Your evening begins with a short panoramic drive through the city centre, and on the slopes of the sacred hill, you will be able to see, admire and take photos of the illuminated Acropolis. Then a pleasant walk through the narrow picturesque streets of Plaka, the old city, will bring you at a Typical Greek Tavern where you will enjoy your dinner following a floor show with live music and Greek Folk Dances in traditional costumes. Otherwise, enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
Overnight in Athens.
Day 2 : ATHENS
Enjoy your luscious breakfast at the hotel, and at approx. 8:00 am get ready for your sightseeing tour of the ancient city of Athens. Discover the secrets of Athens, including its famous Acropolis. Your expert guide will take you to see the ancient centre, the Constitution Square (Syntagma), the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier and the National Library. On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Hadrian’s Arch, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and will make a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first Modern Olympic Games were held in 1896. On the Acropolis visit the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and finally the famous Parthenon. Your first taste of Athens would not be complete without a visit to the Acropolis Museum, a modern architectural building where, at last the statues have found their home. Here, you can admire the wonders and architectural masterpieces of the classical era. Tour will finish at 13:30 and you have the afternoon at leisure until 15:00 pm, when you will be picked up from the hotel and transferred to the port Piraues to embark the cruise, an exciting and evocative journey incorporating Africa, Asia and Europe, setting sail for Alexandria. Your first night on board will give you the opportunity to relax, indulge in the All-Inclusive hospitality and anticipate the many adventures ahead on your very own voyage of discovery across. Three Continents captures the spirit of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Dinner is served on board.
Overnight on board.
Day 3 : DAY AT LEISURE ON CRUISE
Wake up to your tasty breakfast on board and enjoy full-day relaxing sailing through the azure sea, heading towards the Egypt. Our cruise offers the wide range of activities such as yoga, dance, etc. (please consult daily schedule on board), and if you feel just to chill and relax, take a pleasure of our bar or restaurant services which are at your full disposal. Breakfast, lunch and dinner serve on-board.
Overnight on board.
Day 4 : ALEXANDRIA (EGYPT) – PORT SAID (EGYPT)
Enjoy your early morning breakfast on board and get ready for your new adventure. You will be arriving to Alexandria at 7:00 am in the morning. The towering Pharos lighthouse marked the entrance to the ancient harbour and the city’s Great Library was the archive of ancient knowledge. Little remains of its glorious past but Alexandria has been reinvented as a lively, cosmopolitan and commercial centre.
You will have a time to explore this vibrant city on your pace until 9:00 am when you will have to be back on board and continue your voyage to Port Said. However if you wish to get deeper insight into the secrets of this land, you can join our full-day Classical Cairo excursion to Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza (included), the only one of the Seven Great Wonders still standing, and together with the English speaking guide look into the ancient history of this world Wonder. You will be picked up from the port by an air-conditioned motor coach and taken to the Giza Plateau where this ancient experience begins. Lunch is served at the local restaurant (included). After lunch drive to Tahrir (Liberty) Square, the heart of down town Cairo. Visit the National Archaeological Museum and acquaint yourself with Egypt’s ancient history, spanning a period of over 50 centuries. The Museum is the repository of the world’s largest and richest collection of Egyptian Antiquities amongst them the priceless collection of King Tutankhamen. (No cameras and videos allowed in the museum. People, who may suffer from claustrophobia, please advice to your tour guide before entering the hall of Mummies inside a Pyramid as the corridor is dark and low). After the tour, you will re-join the cruise again in Port Said.
Port Said, located on the coast of the Mediterranean, was established in 1859 during the construction of the Suez Canal. It flourished for decades but its glory is a little faded. It still has an allure but the main attraction is the Suez Canal, with a raised pedestrian boardwalk running along the waterfront. The cruise will be arriving to Port Said at 20:00 pm, and you will have two hours to explore this town on your own. Dinner serves on board.
Overnight on board.
Day 5 : ASHDOD (ISRAEL)
After your morning breakfast on board, you will be arriving to the Holy Land of Israel at approx. at 8:00 am. The cruise will disembark in Ashdod. This diverse, modern city covers the land of two ancient twin towns; it is the largest port in Israel and one of the oldest cities in the world. Ashdod is only 33 miles from historic Jerusalem. We invite you to book one of our optional excursions and get a deeper insight into this divine history. One of the tour is the Jerusalem and Bethlehem excursion (own expenses, bookable on board). Ascend to the biblical Judean Hills through the Gate of the Valley, get a panoramic view of Jerusalem and the walls of the Old City from the Mount of Olives and find yourself in the track of Jesus, visiting the The Church of Gethsemane, where Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and captured by the Romans, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was crucified, anointed and buried and then rise to Mount Zion, the room of the Last Supper where Jesus celebrated with is Disciples the Passover feast. You will be passing side by side the Wailing Wall in the Jewish Quarter, where you can write a wish and insert it in the Wall. Lunch break at Bethlehem, followed by the visit of this holy place of Jesus birth. After your will be transferred back to Ashdod.
Another option is Jaffa and Tel Aviv excursion (own expenses, bookable on board), where the city tour of the oldest operating port Jaffa is planned. It is a charming old place of narrow streets, ancient architecture and beautiful views of Tel Aviv. Climbing up the hills of Jaffa you will get a beautiful panorama of Tel Aviv. Continue via Tel Aviv, the “town that never sleeps” and visit the colourful oriental Carmel market. After the tour, you will be transferred back to Ashdod.
The cruise will be leaving the Ahdod port at 22:00 in the evening. Lunch and dinner serve on-board.
Overnight on board.
Day 6 : LIMASSOL (CYPRUS)
Limassol is your following destination for today. After the luscious breakfast on-board, you will be arriving to the port at 11:00 am. This bustling tourist heart of Cyprus is full of character and history, not least the centuries-old Limassol Castle, home to the Cyprus Medieval Museum and tis collection of pottery and tombstones. A short drive away is iconic Aphrodite’s Rock and the striking Crusader castle at Kolossi. The centre of Limassol buzzes with cafes, bars and restaurants that are as popular with locals as with visitors.
We invite you to book one of our optional excursion Panoramic Limassol and Curium excursion or culinary tour Experience the tradition (own expenses, bookable on board) to appease your curiosity for exploring further this exciting region. The cruise will be leaving from the port at 18:00 in the afternoon. Lunch and dinner serve on-board.
Overnight on board.
Day 7 : RHODES (GREECE)
Enjoy your tasty breakfast on board and get ready for your new thrilling adventure. At approx. noontime, you will be arriving to Rhodes, to see the third of our Seven Wonders, The Colossus of Rhodes. Stroll down the streets of this beautiful harbour, get to the lovely Old Town, and be amazed by atmospheric cobbled streets that will transport you back to the Byzantine Empire. Additionally, you can book an optional half-day medieval tour of Lindos, Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights (own expenses, bookable on board) and see the ancient Temple of Athena, built in 300 B.C. Walking along the old captains’ mansions, built between the 16th and 18th century is real experience and the Acropolis of Lindos with the Temple of Athena is unforgettable archaeological site. At the old city of Rhodes you will go through D’Amboise Gate to walk on the Street of the Knights. Along this street you will find the residences of the Knights, separated according to Order, which bear until today their corresponding crests
At 20:00 in the evening, we will be leaving this island and we will continue sailing towards to our following destination, Turkey. Lunch and dinner serve on board.
Overnight on board.
Day 8 : KUSADASI (TURKEY)
Today, after your fulfilling breakfast on board, you will experience the fourth of our Seven Wonders. We will be arriving at Kusadasi at 7:00 am in the morning and you will have a full day at leisure to enjoy this colourful Turkish beach town. This is the coastal gateway to the Hellenistic ruins of Ephesus, famed for the fourth of our Seven Wonders, the Temple of Artemis. A complimentary 3-hour Ancient Ephesus excursion is included, as this is one of the numerous highlights of our trip. Ancient Ephesus is home to the Immortal relics of the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Christian era. Together with the English speaking local guide you will discover the archaeological site among the Agora, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and many more and you will go the try out still perceiving acoustics of the famous Great Theatre. At 19:30 we will be leaving Turkey and we will be sailing back to Greece. Lunch and dinner on board.
Overnight on board.
Day 9 : DEPARTURE ATHENS
Begin your last day with a tasty breakfast on board and enjoy the last chilled moments on the cruise, before you reach Athens approx. at 8:00 am. We hope this voyage was a real “Wonder” for you. At approx. 09:00 am, there will be a driver waiting for you to take you by the shared transfer from the port to the airport, where you will catch your onward flight to your following destination. The transfer takes approx. one hour so we recommend you to book your onwards flight after 12:00 pm. If you wish to spend more time in Athens, we invite you to book pre- or post-night in Athens offered as an optional extra.